Author: News-Press NOW

Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Missouri State Highway Patrol has officially released the 2025 Labor Day holiday statistics.

According to the traffic statistics report, 222 crashes, 104 injuries, five fatalities, 100 DWI and 14 drug arrests were documented.

The fatalities occurred in the following troops: Troop A, Lee’s Summit; Troop C, Weldon Spring; Troop D, Springfield; Troop E, Poplar Bluff; and Troop G, Willow Spring.

As for the boating statistics, three crashes, four injuries, zero fatalities, nine BWI and one drowning were documented.

The holiday counting period lasted from 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 29, through Monday, Sept. 1.

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Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Later this month, the Benedictine living community will be holding an open house, showcasing its renovated assisted and independent living apartments.

The apartments have been updated to provide more comfort with new paint and finishes. 

In renovating the apartments, the goal is to have residents feel at home and bring a sense of community to senior residents.

The open house will be held from 1:30 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 23, at 1202 Heartland Rd.

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Carter Ostermiller

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — This past summer, movie theaters around the world featured big films such as ‘Superman’ and ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ but struggled to bring in crowds.

Both films had massive expectations to do well at the box office, but faced their own struggles. In the box office, ‘Superman’ struggled internationally, and ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ had a massive dip in its second weekend.

North American movie theaters grossed $3.67 billion from the beginning of May through Labor Day, slightly below last summer’s $3.68 billion, according to Comdata, via Forbes.

News-Press NOW spoke to St. Joseph locals to see what they thought.

Local Nia Zugelder prefers going to movies, but believes the accessibility of movies at home is hurting box office numbers.

“It’s just so much more accessible now. You used to go into the movie theater to see a movie, and it was kind of something you could only see in theaters. But now, everything’s so on demand that people would prefer to just stay home,” said Zugelder.

The hype of going to a movie on opening weekend still thrives, according to Benito Longoria.

“I like the thrill or the energy of the opening weekend. I’d say that’s probably my favorite way to go out.” said Longoria.

Movie theaters are still popular among many, but streaming continues to take a serious hit on the once classic option. A 2024 poll by HarrisX found that two-thirds of adults prefer to wait and stream movies at home.

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Abigail McCluskey

ST. JOSEPH, Mo (News-Press NOW) — Following the start of the school year a few weeks ago, high school sports are now gaining more attention.

Fall weather patterns bring a range of conditions, from thunderstorms to early snow, and the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) is tasked with making quick, informed decisions about whether games should proceed or be canceled.

Coaches and players are ready for any game; however, the weather can change in the blink of an eye. Player and event safety comes first and is why MSHSAA has set rules in place for inclement weather.

MSHSAA provides guidance and procedures for school districts when making decisions about delays, postponements and cancellations caused by weather.

These decisions often rely on local conditions, weather alerts and the judgment of school officials.

Rain and lightning often force game delays or same-day cancellations, while snow and ice can disrupt events with less notice during the winter sports season.

“(The delay) is 30 minutes from each strike,” Executive Director of MSHAA Jennifer Rukstad said. “It’s up to the school to monitor what’s going on with thunder and lightning. That’s a collaborative decision between the game officials, the host school and the visiting team.”  

The most common saying for lightning safety is “When thunder roars, go indoors.”

Storm watches and warnings, flooded fields and unsafe travel conditions all factor into the decision-making process by officials.

Besides changing weather patterns, heat also has an impact on sporting practices and games.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

While some view Labor Day as an extra day off, local businesses and labor unions recognize the day as a reminder of working citizens.

The holiday comes after a flurry of bill signings from Gov. Mike Kehoe’s office in July. One of the bills Kehoe signed was House Bill 567, which repeals mandated sick leave requirements from Proposition A. The bill later went into effect on Aug. 28.

“It was a terrible move on their part and shows how little they respect the voters and the workers of Missouri,” Owner of Yellow Dog Bookshop and supporter of Prop A Joe Chevalier said. “Business owners now have to make the choice: are we going to continue to offer sick pay or are we going to take cover and run away and stop doing it? Employees are in kind of the same boat.”

The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry released a report before the repeal of sick leave mandates detailing what businesses could do with the mandate on pause.

The chamber suggested a sliding scale approach based on what’s best for each business, from keeping sick leave until April 2026, to ending it in 2025, or cutting it off immediately on Aug. 28.

“Ultimately, because there is no guidance about payout under circumstances other than separation of employment – particularly for employers who frontloaded employees’ time – paying out up to 80 hours would be the safest option, while not paying out any EPST would be the riskiest option,” the report said.

Chevalier said that he will continue offering sick leave to his employees.

“In my opinion, it’s the right thing to do, we’re not even required to do it because we’re so small,” Chevalier said. “I decided it’s the right thing for my staff and for this business that I’m going to go forward with it.”

Proposition A was passed in November 2024 with the support of over 57% voters. The petition increased the state minimum wage and guaranteed workers one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked.

HB 567 was filed shortly in opposition by state representatives after the election. Opponents of mandated sick leave argued that its addition could be exploited by employees, hurting businesses.

“Business owners were clear: Proposition A’s paid leave and minimum wage policies were a job killer,” said president and CEO of the Missouri Chamber Kara Corches in a July statement after Kehoe’s bill signing. “Missouri employers value their employees and recognize the importance of offering competitive wages and benefits, but one-size-fits-all mandates threaten growth.

Both Chevalier and Missouri Jobs With Justice are expecting to support more legislation that will benefit workers, with MO JwJ adding, “the fight is not over.”

“We are looking at direct democracy, we’re looking at legislation, we’re looking at all kinds of things because honestly, right now with the leadership in the Missouri legislature, they are creating more problems than solving them,” Director of Strategic Partnerships for MO JwJ M’Evie Mead said.

Mead adds that representatives from MO JwJ will be present during the general assembly’s special session to discuss redistricting.

ABC 17 News reached out to the Missouri Chamber for an updated statement however, they were closed for the holiday.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — One property is damaged and dozens of residents are without power after one vehicle lost control on U.S. Highway 36 and crashed into a nearby yard in St. Joseph.

No injuries were reported in the crash that occurred around 1 p.m. this afternoon in the area of westbound U.S. Highway 36 and South 17th Street.

St. Joseph Police told News-Press NOW a silver 2019 Dodge Challenger was heading west when the driver lost control, likely due to speeding and slick roads from rain.

The Dodge Challenger exited the right side of the highway and crashed into a yard at 2108 S. 17th Street, knocking down a large power line in the process.

Nearly 70 residents in the surrounding area lost power as a result. As of 6:30 p.m., 56 were still without power as Evergy crews continued to make emergency repairs.

The company’s outage map says an estimated timeframe for repairs is around 10 p.m.

Following the crash, the young driver of the vehicle remained on scene and cooperated with police. The driver was issued a citation for the incident.

A resident of the home told News-Press NOW he was thankful no one was seriously injured. He said similar crashes have occurred at least four times at that same location.

Correction: News-Press NOW has updated a previous version of this article to show the vehicle involved was a Dodge Challenger and not a Dodge Charger. We apologize for this error.

St. Joseph police and fire work the scene of a crash at 2108 S. 17th St. on Monday. The crash occurred after a vehicle traveling westbound on U.S. Highway 36 lost control and went off the roadway, crashing through a fence and into one resident’s property. The crash badly damaged a power line and caused nearby residents to lose power. 

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Praji Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) —  The Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art is showcasing the work of Jacqueline Bishop in an exhibition called ‘Above the Fruited Plain.’ 

Bishop, who is originally from St. Joseph, is known for her detailed, emotional paintings and prints. Much of her work reflects her decades living in New Orleans and her travels to rainforests and other threatened environments.  

“I think people will find a lot to be interested in it since her work is full of detail and emotions, and she spent a lot of time travelling to rainforests and other threatened environments,” Exhibition Manager Meghan Benitz said.  

The exhibition includes several of Bishop’s prints from the past 10 years. The museum plans to rotate in new pieces over the next few months to keep the display fresh.  

“We have a collection (of) her prints as well from around here and it’s mostly work that she has done in the past 10 years. We will be changing the exhibition in the next three months,” Benitz said.  

Benitz says the museum makes it a priority to feature a variety of artists and perspectives, giving visitors a chance to see the world through different lenses.  

She highlights that Bishop’s use of a deep red pigment is a unifying element of this exhibition.  

“Each individual’s artwork is great but the whole show together can help create this feeling in viewers because it’s red and evokes things like pollution but also a historic pigment that’s (been) used for centuries,” Benitz said.  

The museum will also showcase works that celebrate creativity, resilience in women and the symbolic beauty woven into Bishop’s art. 

A free community reception is planned for Sept. 19 from 4 to 7 p.m. The exhibition officially opens on Sept. 20 and will remain on display through Nov. 2.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — City leaders are eyeing the next generation of cutting-edge technology to help grade and improve the condition of St. Joseph’s streets and roadways.

St. Joseph Public Works and Transportation is in the process of integrating new AI-powered software called Road AI, a type of specialized road maintenance software capable of detecting defects from cracking and fretting to edge deterioration and larger potholes.

“We’re trying to advance everything in Public Works and AI is the big thing right now,” St. Joseph Public Works and Transportation Director Abe Forney said. “This new technology will enhance the ability for our public works department to hit those potholes.”

A $15,380 contract for the new technology is set to be introduced for first reading at Tuesday’s City Council meeting and could be finalized later on Sept. 15.

The program operates by recording street surfaces using smartphones while an inspector drives the route. The video is uploaded nightly to a cloud-based AI program with condition ratings being available within hours.

Data is then exported to Excel and imported into Cartegraph — an operations and asset management software platform — for use in determining overlay lists, concrete repair lists and other maintenance priorities.

“It’ll also give us sign inventory that we’ve never had. So it’s looking at signs. It’s looking at our road conditions. It’s looking at crosswalks where they should be and bike trails that cross the road,” Forney said. “This technology is going to continue to grow.”

RoadAI’s technology will sharply boost efficiency and enhance the long-held process of having a supervisor drive and document 440 lane miles of roadway in St. Joseph.

If approved by council, Forney expects the city will be able to quickly integrate the new software and have it deployed for staff usage in short order. The software is part of a subscription service offered through company Vaisala Inc.

“Taking one of our employees and driving all the roads and him writing on a piece of paper what our road conditions are … this is going to be much better,” Forney said. “This technology is going to free them up to do other things that need attention.”

In the long run, he’s optimistic the AI-powered technology will provide cost savings for the department and could grow in usage in other areas. RoadAI’s website states the software is 50% less expensive that traditional road surveys.

The technology is one key part of the city’s new five-year street master plan, a strategy designed to address top concerns identified in a community survey launched earlier this year.

“The survey that just came out said that our road conditions are in poor shape. We all know that some of our roads need some attention,” Forney said. “There’s so many things that are out there that we can utilize to better our public works department.”

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A local hospice provider has been recognized by Strategic Healthcare Programs as a ‘Superior Performer.’

Freudenthal Hospice received an overall caregiver and family experience score that ranked in the top 20% of all eligible SHP clients for 2024.

The annual SHPBest award program was created to acknowledge hospice providers that consistently provide high-quality service to families and caregivers of patients receiving hospice care.

The 2024 recipients were determined by reviewing and ranking the overall CAHPS Hospice caregiver experience score for more than 1,800 hospice providers.

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Charles Christian

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — For those looking to save money while having a nostalgic, hands-on shopping experience, antique malls are a popular destination.

Antique malls are a common part of the landscape in and around St. Joseph. Familiar shops like the Jesse James Antique Mall, Black Katt, Hunterland and the recently closed St. Joseph Auction and Antique Mart have served the community for decades.

Rose Mary Seuell, who retired in 2009 from a local company, went to work for an antique mall as a side job, and then decided to buy the shop that’s now known as Hunterland Antiques Downtown.

“We have around 50 booths here,” Seuell said. “A lot of them followed us from the other location when we moved downtown in 2019, and it is common for vendors to have booths in more than one antique mall.”

The vendors are the secret to these malls. They rent booths from the owners, maintain the booths, pay rent and then give a percentage (usually around 10%) of their sales to the owners.

The owners help oversee the booths in the big shop, but the vendors also help the owners in regard to customer service and maintenance.

“We like for them to keep their booths clean and to keep a consistent eye on their booths and their merchandise,” Seuell said. “We’re fortunate here, because our vendors work well together and they keep their booths spotless.”

One vendor, Richard Vanderhoef, said he started as a collector and specializes in antiques and older collectibles.

“I have been a vendor here since 2019, and I have four booths at Hunterland,” Vanderhoef said. “Right now, you can save a lot of money on items that are used, and that keeps things out of the landfill.”

Customers usually like the idea of saving money and of the nostalgia of recapturing the hands-on experience of shopping in person while supporting local businesses. This rings true for collector and antique mall customer Robert Mata.

“I think a lot of it reminds me of shopping with my dad as a kid and going to garage sales,” Mata said. “I think supporting local businesses is great, and having places like this where you can walk in and touch the items and even see some of the history of the area in the items available is great for the community.”

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